Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish says reaching 50 points in the Blue Square Bet Premier will be a landmark the club can be proud of.

Fleet are still one point short of the ‘magic number’ after suffering their ninth home defeat of the season, losing 2-1 against improving Alfreton at Stonebridge Road on Tuesday night.

Daish said: "Getting to 50 points will be an achievement in itself and a good landmark for the season. It will be a boost for everyone at the club but I don’t want to get involved in talking about whether we are safe or targets.

"I just want to keep on pushing and see where we are at the end of the season, not now with eight games left."

In-form Mansfield host Fleet on Saturday, having hit 13 goals in successive wins against Barrow and Alfreton.

Daish (pictured) said: "They have been scoring a lot of goals and are one of the strongest sides up there. We gifted them a couple of goals when they beat us (3-0) at home but we have to go there on Saturday, defend from front to back and give us the platform to do something."

Keeper Preston Edwards tweeted on Tuesday morning that he had undergone surgery on his troublesome ankle injury on Tuesday which has ended his season early.

Daish also confirmed Charlton defender Yado Mambo won’t be returning this season. The popular centre-half suffered a hamstring injury against Southport last month.